Product Description
Any high school student preparing for the American Mathematics Competitions should get their hands on a copy of this book!A major aspect of mathematical training and its benefit to society is the ability to use logic to solve problems. The American Mathematics Competitions (AMC) have been given for more than fifty years to millions of high school students.This book considers the basic ideas behind the solutions to the majority of these problems, and presents examples and exercises from past exams to illustrate the concepts. Anyone taking the AMC exams or helping students prepare for them will find many useful ideas here. But people generally interested in logical problem solving should also find the problems and their solutions interesting. This book willpromote interest in mathematics by providing students with the tools to attack problems that occur on mathematical problem-solving exams, and specifically to level the playing field for those who do not have access to the enrichment programs that are common at the top academic high schools.The book can be used either for self-study or to give people who want to help students prepare for mathematics exams easy access to topic-oriented material and samples of problems based on that material.This is useful for teachers who want to hold special sessions for students, but it is equally valuable for parents who have children with mathematicalinterest and ability.As students' problem solving abilities improve, they will be able to comprehend more difficult concepts requiring greater mathematical ingenuity.They will be taking their first steps towards becoming math Olympians! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

What a great book!
I read this book just two weeks before the American Mathematics Contests this year as a freshman. I had never heard of these contests, but reading this book gave me everything I need to know! With its help, I qualified for the AIME (though missed the USA math olympiad by 1 question!). If you are into math contests, trust me, this will significantly raise your score.

Excellent preparation for AMC 10, 12
It's a great book, covering everything needed for the higher level AMC competitions. ... Read more

Product Description
over 365 Math Problems and full solutions for Students in Grades, 7,8 and 9 ... Read more

Book Description
Each summer six math whizzes selected from nearly a half-million American teens compete against the world's best problem solvers at the International Mathematical Olympiad.Steve Olson followed the six 2001 contestants from the intense tryouts to the Olympiad's nail-biting final rounds to discover not only what drives these extraordinary kids but what makes them both unique and typical.In the process he provides fascinating insights into the science of intelligence and learning and, finally, the nature of genius. Brilliant, but defying all the math-nerd stereotypes, these teens want to excel in whatever piques their curiosity, and they are curious about almost everything music, games, politics, sports, literature.One team member is ardent about both water polo and creative writing.Another plays four musical instruments.For fun and entertainment during breaks, the Olympians invent games of mind-boggling difficulty.Though driven by the glory of winning this ultimate math contest, they are in many ways not so different from other teenagers, finding pure joy in indulging their personal passions. Beyond the the Olympiad, Olson sheds light on many questions, from why Americans feel so queasy about math, to why so few girls compete in the subject, to whether or not talent is innate.Inside the cavernous gym where the competition takes place, Count Down uncovers a fascinating subculture and its engaging, driven inhabitants. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

Competitive math
A few years ago, the movie Spellbound gave viewers insight into the world of spelling bees, culminating in the National championship.Since then, I've noticed other competitions getting similar treatments, such as bowling (in The League of Ordinary Gentlemen) and crossword puzzles (Word Play).Although it is a book and not a movie, Steve Olson's Count Down fits right into this genre of the competition documentary.

Count Down deals with the International Mathematical Olympiad, in which high school level students from around the world gather together to solve difficult math problems.How difficult?The first problem they are given reads:"In acute triangle ABC with circumcenter O and altitude AP, angle C is greater than or equal to angle B plus 30 degrees.Prove that angle A plus angle COP is less than 90 degrees."This is the easiest of the six questions the Math Olympians must solve.

Perhaps coincidentally, there also six members in the U.S. team, so Olson dedicates one chapter to each member and his approach to a problem (it is an all male team).It is like going from Los Angeles to New York by car:there are a number of different routes, each with its pluses and minuses.Similarly, these math problems can be solved a number of different ways.

Olson goes beyond the Olympiad itself, however, using it as a launching pad for discussions on topics regarding math education.One key theme that runs through Count Down is how Americans look down on math, often treating those who are good at it with scorns and letting people think that being bad at math is okay.This is contrasted with other countries where math is considered much more valuable.The problem is not merely with the education system but the culture itself.

Other topics include the nature of genius and the effects of environment versus genetics.Are boys naturally better than girls at math (which is to say, more genetically inclined), or is it cultural issues that creates a disparity between the genders? (As Olson notes, in the decades of American participation in the Olympiad, boys have outnumbered girls 118 to 1.)Is it even possible to truly separate the two?Can the abilities that these teenagers have be taught to others?

Olson keeps the math rather simple so even the mathematical layperson should be able to understand all that's going on.If you enjoy math, this is a recommended read.If you don't enjoy math, this is a must read:it will help show why mathematical skill is not merely nice but is essential.

Mathematically Talentless Author
a shambles ,with a mathematically talentless author totally out of his league. Exemplified by the followingtwo poetically-challenged sentences ,appearing on page 153 ,describing Monta Vista High School in Cupertino California USA: " The school, which occupies a ramshackle collection of low-rise wood-frame buildings, nestles up against the soft burr of the coastal range. It faces east, toward the rising sun and the milky haze that often overlies San Francisco Bay." So we learn that the sun rises in the east... For an example of the mathematical ineptitude scattered throughout this wreck of a book, the author neglects to state that in Jensen's Inequality, the coefficents "r" ,"s" and "t" must add to 1. Suitable for the fireplace.

Too much filler
CD is two books in one, one interesting, the other pedestrian.The interesting book includes: profiles of participants in the 2001 IMO + some description of the IMO itself + partial solutions of the IMO problems.The pedestrian book includes: lengthy digressions on the topic of genius/talent.CD weaves back and forth between both books.The result: a greatly short-changed book one.Profiles could have been much longer/deeper; the event could have been described in greater and more interesting detail; solutions (relegated to Appendices) could have been complete.The contents of book two read like an extended (fragmentary) book report.The topic of genius/talent has been ably treated elsewhere in the literature.All of book two, considerably compressed, would far better have served to introduce a much expanded book one.

CD reads well enough; it does provide a couple hours' entertainment.It could have been so much more.

Good overview of competitive mathematics (and mathematics in general)
"Count Down" is a well-written and concise profile of the International Mathematical Olympiad and, more broadly, the field of mathematics.While the book offers an engaging overview of the Olympiad, its real strength is in its coverage of the individuals underlying the contest.

Steve Olson provides readers with an insightful and unique perspective on what type of person and abilities it takes to become a part of a Mathematical Olympiad team.Moreover, the book challenges the reader with facts and anecdotes related to the roles "nature" and "nurture" play in the evolution of traits such as creativity.

Explores Lots of Topics Through the Lens of Math Competition
I found this book very interesting. It is about the math competition, but also so much more. The author uses the math competition to explore many topics such as:
- the nature of intelligence - inherited vs. developed
- competitiveness - healthy or not
- math teaching in the US
- the nature of creativity in individuals

He also discusses math somewhat in discussing the solution to the problems presented at the competition, but the math isnot the main focus of the book and should scare people off. ... Read more

Book Description
This digital document is an article from Practical Homeschooling, published by Home Life, Inc. on September 1, 2000. The length of the article is 2791 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Think Math contests! (You Need To Know).(Mathcounts math competition)
Author: Howard Richman
Publication: Practical Homeschooling (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 1, 2000
Publisher: Home Life, Inc.
Page: 28

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Product Description
This book contains the problems and solutions of two contests: the Chinese National High School Competition from 198182 to 199293, and the Chinese Mathematical Olympiad from 198586 to 199293.China has an outstanding record in the International Mathematical Olympiad, and the book contains the problems which were used to identify the team candidates and select the Chinese teams. The problems are meticulously constructed, many with distinctive flavour. They come in all levels of difficulty, from the relatively basic to the most challenging. ... Read more

Product Description
This book is a continuation of the earlier volume (1981-1993) and covers the years 1993 to 2001.China has an outstanding record in the International Mathematical Olympiad, and the book contains the problems which were used to identify the team candidates and select the Chinese teams. The problems are meticulously constructed, many with distinctive flavour. They come in all levels of difficulty, from the relatively basic to the most challenging. ... Read more

Product Description
The Hungary-Israel Mathematics Competition commenced in 1990 when diplomatic relations between the two countries were in their infancy.This 181 page book summarizes the first 12 years of the competition (1990 to 2001) and includes the problems and complete solutions.The book is directed at mathematics lovers, problem solving enthusiasts and students who wish to improve their competition skills. No special or advanced knowledge is required beyond that of the typical IMO contestant and the book includes a glossary explaining the terms and theorems which are not standard that have been used in the book. ... Read more

Product Description
The Art of Problem Solving, Volume 1, is the classic problem solving textbook used by many successful MATHCOUNTS programs, and have been an important building block for students who, like the authors, performed well enough on the American Mathematics Contest series to qualify for the Math Olympiad Summer Program which trains students for the United States International Math Olympiad team. Volume 1 is appropriate for students just beginning in math contests. MATHCOUNTS and novice high school students particularly have found it invaluable. Although the Art of Problem Solving is widely used by students preparing for mathematics competitions, the book is not just a collection of tricks. The emphasis on learning and understanding methods rather than memorizing formulas enables students to solve large classes of problems beyond those presented in the book.Speaking of problems, the Art of Problem Solving, Volume 1, contains over 500 examples and exercises culled from such contests as MATHCOUNTS, the Mandelbrot Competition, the AMC tests, and ARML. Full solutions (not just answers!) are available for all the problems in the solution manual. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A wonderful collection of problem solving topics!
I bought this book to do math with my children, and to brush up on a few of the missing pieces in my own background.It has been a wonderful resource.The topics are covered in fresh ways that lead to insights into the various subjects, and the problem sets provide excellent practice for each subject.The problems are not just the routine problems you find in regular school textbooks - they force you to bring together ideas from several areas and think more deeply about the topics.I would strongly recommend volumes 1 and 2 to any student wanting to get a broad background for dealing with challenging problems at the middle school to high school levels. ... Read more

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Arkadii Slinko, now at the University of Auckland, was one of the leading figures of the USSR Mathematical Olympiad Committee during the last years before democratisation. This book brings together the problems and solutions of the last four years of the All-Union Mathematics Olympiads. Not only are the problems and solutions highly expository but the book is worth reading alone for the fascinating history of mathematics competitions to be found in the introduction. ... Read more

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30 actual & complete regional & national contests. ... Read more

Book Description
This digital document is an article from Mississippi Business Journal, published by Thomson Gale on July 30, 2007. The length of the article is 1024 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Hands-on learning sharpens math, science, tech skills.(Focus: Education, HR & Workforce Training)
Author: C. Richard Cotton
Publication: Mississippi Business Journal (Magazine/Journal)
Date: July 30, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 29Issue: 31Page: 18(2)

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This 406 page book (8 1/2 x 11) contains all the contests held by ARML (The American Regions Mathematics League) during the years 1995-2003. Full solutions are included. ... Read more

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Education consultant Linda P. Rosen made playful reference to that work to describe what she sees as a persistent divide between corporate America and math teachers in their thinking about how to improve schools in her speech, "Is the Business Community From Mars?," at the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics' annual meeting, held here April 26-28.Unlike some professionaldevelopment activities, the three-week academy used lessons devised primarily by teachers themselves, rather than by college faculty members, said Terry Goodman, a mathematics professor at Central Missouri State University, in Warrensburg, Mo., who co-directed the academy.

This digital document is an article from Education Week, most recently published by ProQuest Information and Learning on May 10, 2006. The length of the article is 935 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Business, Field Of Math Divided, Consultant Says
Author: Sean Cavanagh
Publication: Education Week (News)
Date: May 10, 2006
Publisher: ProQuest Information and Learning
Volume: 25Issue: 36Page: 12-13

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Professor John Burns, formerly Professor of Mathematics at the Royal Military College, Duntroon and Foundation Member of the Australian Mathematical Olympiad Committee, solves the problems of the 1988, 1989 and 1990 International Mathematical Olympiads.Unlike other books in which only complete solutions are given, John Burns describes the complete thought processes he went through when solving the problems from scratch. Written in an inimitable and sensitive style, this book is a must for a student planning on developing the ability to solve advanced mathematics problems. ... Read more

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This book is a complete collection of all Australian Mathematical Olympiad papers from the first paper in 1979 to 1995. Solutions to all of the problems are included and in a number of cases, alternative solutions are also offered. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR), published by Thomson Gale on December 5, 2006. The length of the article is 1071 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: STUDENT WINS TOP MATH AWARD.(Schools)(Dmitry Vaintrob, who attends South Eugene High School, takes the grand prize in the prestigious Siemens competition)
Author: Gale Reference Team
Publication: The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR) (Newspaper)
Date: December 5, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Page: A1

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